Why can't a dog go to the toilet in Sims 4?

Why can't a dog go to the toilet in Sims 4? - briefly

In The Sims 4, dogs are programmed not to relieve themselves indoors or outdoors, unlike human and cat Sims who use toilets and litter boxes respectively. This design choice is likely due to maintaining a clean and sanitary environment within the game.

Why can't a dog go to the toilet in Sims 4? - in detail

In "The Sims 4," players often notice that their pet dogs do not exhibit the behavior of going to the toilet as they would expect in real life. This discrepancy is due to several design choices and technical limitations within the game's framework.

Firstly, the development team at Maxis prioritized creating a streamlined and engaging gameplay experience for players. Simplifying certain behaviors, such as pets going to the toilet, helps maintain this focus. By not including complex animations and routines for pet elimination, the game can run more smoothly and efficiently on various systems.

Secondly, there are technical challenges associated with implementing realistic pet behavior. Animating a dog going to the toilet involves creating intricate movements and sequences that would require significant development resources. This includes designing appropriate animations, scripting the behavior, and ensuring it integrates seamlessly with other game mechanics. Given the extensive range of features already present in "The Sims 4," the developers chose not to allocate resources to this specific aspect.

Moreover, the lack of a toilet-going animation for dogs aligns with the overall design philosophy of the game, which often sacrifices realism for the sake of playability and accessibility. By abstracting certain behaviors, the game remains approachable for a wide audience, including younger players who might find such details unnecessary or even disturbing.

Lastly, the absence of this behavior does not significantly impact the gameplay experience. Dogs in "The Sims 4" still require care and interaction from their owners, and they contribute to the overall atmosphere and enjoyment of the game without needing to replicate every aspect of real-life pet ownership.

In conclusion, while it might seem unusual that dogs in "The Sims 4" do not go to the toilet as expected, this design choice is a result of prioritizing gameplay experience, technical limitations, and the game's overall design philosophy.